Switzerland Travel Forum

Hi everyone,

I am from Iran and my trip to Switzerland was apparently canceled, I was told by my boss yesterday! In short, I was planning to go there on business (NOT as tourist) to meet officials from a swiss-based medical company. Nothing illegal of course. And I work for a private corporation with no ties to the Iranian govt.

Anyway, it seems crazy the kinds of 'general' documents the Swiss Embassy in Tehran demands from Iranian applicants for all types of visa, and then.... there are even MORE additional documents for each individual visa ( eg, bank statement, international health insurance, etc.etc.) They even want to see old/expired passports and so-called original and copies of 'Shenasnameh', a passport-size Iranian birth certificate-booklet in which one's name, age, date of birth, date of death (!), place of birth and death, current and past spouses info, all elections one has voted in, food rationing stamps, etc. etc. can be observed. Please see the link below.

So I got curious. I know US and many EU passport holders don't require a visa to visit Switzerland. But if you are from Asia, Africa, South America, and even Eastern Europe, did you have to go through almost the same procedure or Iranians are special case because they from a so-called 'terrorist' state with Ahmadinejad at the helm; hence people like me have to suffer the consequences! Honestly it is truly absurd the sort of documents the Swiss embassy is asking for to issue tourist visa.

Finally, someone told me if I have a valid EU 'Schengen' Visa then I might be able to obtain a 3-day visa at the Swiss border! Is this true?
Thanks for your help.

http://www.eda.admin.ch/etc/medialib/downloads/edactr/irn.Par.0025.File.tmp/Visa-Rules200805.pdf

" They even want to see old/expired passports"
On the link you posted is listed the required documents. I think you got it wrong: they want to have a copy of your actual passport. If it is an old one (obviously they have changed your passport form somewhere in the past) there are different pages to copy than if it is a new one.

I don't know about that Shenasnameh, but it sounds like the family book we have around here (just with more information). I don't find it so odd that they want to see it, either.

That they want more information about your health insurance, bank statements etc. has to do with that you should be able to fund your stay in switzerland. I have seen this demanded from a lot of other nations as well. Either that or a so called "invitation letter" which generall means that the one who signed the letter is responsible for you financially during your stay.
Again, nothing unusual.

As for the Schengen visa: maybe it is a way to get into switzerland easier, but then again you have to ask the embassy about the directions to get that kind of visa.